diff --git a/hw/mem/memory-device.c b/hw/mem/memory-device.c
index bb9d7c2a20..00c7755557 100644
--- a/hw/mem/memory-device.c
+++ b/hw/mem/memory-device.c
@@ -69,9 +69,10 @@ static int memory_device_used_region_size(Object *obj, void *opaque)
     return 0;
 }
 
-static void memory_device_check_addable(MachineState *ms, uint64_t size,
+static void memory_device_check_addable(MachineState *ms, MemoryRegion *mr,
                                         Error **errp)
 {
+    const uint64_t size = memory_region_size(mr);
     uint64_t used_region_size = 0;
 
     /* we will need a new memory slot for kvm and vhost */
@@ -101,16 +102,9 @@ static uint64_t memory_device_get_free_addr(MachineState *ms,
                                             uint64_t align, uint64_t size,
                                             Error **errp)
 {
-    Error *err = NULL;
     GSList *list = NULL, *item;
     Range as, new = range_empty;
 
-    if (!ms->device_memory || !memory_region_size(&ms->device_memory->mr)) {
-        error_setg(errp, "the configuration is not prepared for memory devices"
-                         " (e.g., for memory hotplug), consider specifying the"
-                         " maxmem option");
-        return 0;
-    }
     range_init_nofail(&as, ms->device_memory->base,
                       memory_region_size(&ms->device_memory->mr));
 
@@ -122,12 +116,6 @@ static uint64_t memory_device_get_free_addr(MachineState *ms,
                     align);
     }
 
-    memory_device_check_addable(ms, size, &err);
-    if (err) {
-        error_propagate(errp, err);
-        return 0;
-    }
-
     if (hint && !QEMU_IS_ALIGNED(*hint, align)) {
         error_setg(errp, "address must be aligned to 0x%" PRIx64 " bytes",
                    align);
@@ -251,11 +239,23 @@ void memory_device_pre_plug(MemoryDeviceState *md, MachineState *ms,
     uint64_t addr, align = 0;
     MemoryRegion *mr;
 
+    if (!ms->device_memory) {
+        error_setg(errp, "the configuration is not prepared for memory devices"
+                         " (e.g., for memory hotplug), consider specifying the"
+                         " maxmem option");
+        return;
+    }
+
     mr = mdc->get_memory_region(md, &local_err);
     if (local_err) {
         goto out;
     }
 
+    memory_device_check_addable(ms, mr, &local_err);
+    if (local_err) {
+        goto out;
+    }
+
     if (legacy_align) {
         align = *legacy_align;
     } else {